Accelerator



Dec.- 4, 1928.

R. M. HENDERSON ACCELERATOR Filed March 7, 1924 [Av /70 WWW 18/ I A TTORA/Ef Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ROBERT M. HENDERSON, OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 THEI ULTON COMPANY, OF WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ACCELERATOR.

Application filed March 7, 1924. Serial No. 697,436.

This invention relates in general to im-. proved apparatus which is especially applicable in the automotive industry, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of accelerating appliances for eil'ecting remote control of the A general object of the invention is to pro vide improved speed control mechamsm tor vehicle propelling motors or the like, whichis simple in construction and eflicient in operation. f

Some of the more specific objects and ad vantages of .the present improvement are as follows t First. Toprovide a foot operable accelerator wh'ich is readily applicable as an accessory to any commercial automobiles of the Ford type.

Second. To provide accelerator mechanism which may be manufactured at reasonable cost and sold at moderate price. p Y

Third. To provide an eflicient manually operable accelerator appliance which is extremoly compact and durable in structure and neat- 1n appearance. 7

Fourth. To provide a remote control .ac celerating'device various elements of which may be constructed from sheet metal and standard wire with the aid of dies.

Fifth] To provide'an accelerator accessory which may be readily assembled, and in which the parts are interchangeable with the correspondingelements of other similar accessories Sixth. To provide a foot accelerator for vehicles. which maybe readily installed without damaging existing structure, and which may be conveniently operated Without interiering with the normal operation of other mechanism associated with the vehicle.

Seventh. To provide a combined hand and foot operable control device, wherein either hand or foot operation may be efli'ected en- T tirely independently of each other.

Eighth. 'To provide for convenient-l0cation of a foot accelerator attachment within a vehicle. a

Ninth. To provide vehicle accelerating mechanism various elements of which are will improve the operation, and reduce ator applied thereto.

cost of such appliances.

realily adjustable to produce mosteflicient,

A clear conception of the construction, in-

stallationand operation of one embodiment of the present invention may be had by referring to the drawing accom anying and forming a part of this specifieatiomin which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts int-he various views.

Big. 1 1s a fragmentary side elevation of a Ford type or motor having an improved accelerator applied thereto, the View being taken looking toward the carburetor side of the englne. f

Fig. 2 1s a fragmentary side elevation of a 1* 0rd type of motor having the improvedaccelerator applied thereto, the view being taken looking toward the foot control level" side of theengine. v

Fig. 31s a fragmentary top view of a Ford I type of motor having theimproved accele Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the improved accelerator supporting bracket and some of the associated elements.

TheFord type of engine to which the SP8, cifi-o embodiment of the invention shown and described herein, is especially applicable as an, accessory, comprises in general a plurality of vertical power cylinders 3 located in advance of and below the drivers com'part ment of the car; a carburetor 2 disposed laterally adjacent to the rear cylinders 3; a fuel supply manifold 4 detachably associated with the carburetor 2 by means of bolts 11 and providing a fuel feed connection between the carburetor 2 and the cylinders 3; and control levers 25 associated with the rear portion of the motor and extendi upwardly into the drivers compartment 0 the vehicle through slots in the foot boards 14:; The vertical cylinders 3 are .arranged'in pairs separated by a space 26 which provides a transverse opening extending across the engine. I The carburetor is provided with a horizontally oscillatable fuel control lever 5 which is movable in a and serves as a steadying means forthe oper- 65 counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3, to admit increased qua-ntities of fuel and thus accelerate the speed of the engine. The various elements just described comprise standard equipment on any Ford type of automobile.

The improved accelerator mechanism forming the subject of the present invention, 7

comprises a horizontal cross rod movable and extending transversely across the engine through the space 26, and hav ng one end detachably pivotally connected tothe swing- 'detachably secured to the stationary bracket 10; a sheet metal lever or bell crank 6 vertically pivotally supported upon the bracket 10 by means of a pivot pin 19 ,a collapsible connector or chain 12 connecting the forwardly extending arm of the bell crank 6 with the transverse rod 7 at a point closely adjacent to the lever 5; and foot and hand manipulable rods 8, 20 associated with the bell crank 6 and with the transverse rod 7 respectively.

The transverse rod 7 is formed of standard wire having one end bent at ninety degrees to provide a pivotal connection with the lever 5 and having its opposite end threaded to re ceive an adjustable bifurcated nut 24;. The sheet metal angle bracket l0 is formed as shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, with a lower recess 27 fitting over the manifold f and with notches 28 adapted to engage the bolts 11.

The bracket 10 may be applied and removed without entirely removing the boltsll, by virtue of the downwardly open notches 28. The forward end of the bracket 10 is provided with an integral stop 13 extending upward ly beyond the horizontal plane of movement of the lever 6 and limiting the clockwise movement of the lever 6 as viewed in Fig. 3. The foot operable rod 8 is likewise formed of standard wire and has its forward extremity bent downwardly and detachably pivotally connected to the swing end of the arm 18 of the bell crank 6. a The rod 8 penetrates the foot boards 14 at the right of the foot control levers 25 a-s'viewed from the (lrive1"ssoat,'and

projects short distance above the foot boards 14, The upper rear extremity of the rod8 is rigidlysecuredto a foot button 15 which may be pressed *from sheet metal and is preferably provided with a rubber contact ators foot.

The hand operable rod 20 forms standard with the steeringpost, having a manipulating handle of'well known construction at its up per end. The lever 21 is oscillatable by rotation of the rod 20 and has an opening in its swinging lower endwhich loosely embraces a pivot pin 23 formed integral with the slidable block 22. The slidable block 22 has a transverse through opening which slidably embraces the rod 7, the degree of sliding between the block 22 and the rod 7 being variable by adjustment of the nut 24: along the threaded end of the rod 7.

In order to applythe improved accelerator equipment of the car and extends parallel attachment to a Ford type of automobile, it is ,necessary only to removethe cross-connection between the levers 21, 5, which is furnished by the manufacturer; to release the clamping bolts 11 andapply the bracket 10; to attach the transverse rod 7 to the levers 21, 5; and to position the foot operable rod 8, plate 16 and foot rest 17 as shown. This application of the accelerator may be made by any novice within a few minutes.

During normal operation of the accelerator mechanism,the fuel control lever 5 maybe either alternatively or simultaneously adj usted either by hand or foot or both at the will i of the operator. In order to effect hand oper-' ation, it is only necessary for the operator to rotate the rod 20ina clockwise direction as viewed, in Fig. 3, whereupon the lever 21 moves the block 22 to theleft against the nut 24 and shifts the transverse rod 7 tothe left.

This motion of the rod7 causes the fuel control lever to move in a counterclockwise direction, the spring 9 being simultaneously stretched and the chain 12 being flexed without in any manner disturbing the position of the lever6 and of'the rod 8. As the rod 20 is released, the spring 9 automatically becomes effective to urge the rod 7 and the lever 5 to V the right until the'fuel supply is entirely out.

off.

In order to effect foot operation of the accelerator, it is only'necessary for the operator to step .upon the button 15 or otherwise push downwardly against the rod 8, whereupon the bell crank 6 swings in counter-clockwise di-' recti on about the pivot19 as viewed in Fig. 3,

and exerts a pull upon the chain 12 and rod 7. This pull causes expansionof the spring 9 and movement of the fuel control lever in a counter-clockwise direction, the rod 7 merely sliding within the block' 22iwithout aflecting' stop 13 of the bracket 10 and also returning "w nt i n s' nan lie nal eate e the l er 1 are closed samba- 1a iaiii 1?, "111 ultl betaatand the block ze -easel ;te n @a ai' ivi lflie bra 6 ih' immediate cpiaadrisf t e re l c oiitrlol valve by adjustment of eit'lii "of the. coiitro'l It will be obvious from the foregoing description, that the fuel supply lever 5 may be adjusted independently either by hand or foot, and that the adjustments may be made simultaneous if desired. The appliance is readily applicable as an accessory to any Ford type automobile without damaging existing structure of the car and without interfering with the normal operation of other mecha nism. With the aid of the present improvement, the foot accelerator may be conveniently located to the right of and adjacent tothe foot control levers 25.

The bracket 10, lever 6, button 15 and plate 16 may all be constructed of relatively heavy. sheet metal with the aid of dies, thereby reducing to a minimum the cost of construction and insuring interchangeability of these parts. The rods 7, 8 maybe formed of standard relatively stifl wire properly bent to clear existing structure of Ford type of vehicles, and

thespring 9 and chain 12 are of relatively standard construction thus further minimizto persons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination with an engine having a plurality of cylinders and a fuel control located at one side thereof, a hand operable rod located at the opposite sideof said cylinders, a transverserod connected to said fuel control and crossing said engine between said cylinders, a one-waylost motion connection between said rods, a foot operable rod located on the fuel control side of said cylinders,

a bell crank lever having one arm connected to said foot operable rod, means for positively arresting and limiting the movement of said lever in one direction, and a flexible direct connection between the other arm of said lever and said transverse rod.

2. In combination with anengine having a plurality of cylinders and a fuel control The various iteaaaa' one see hereof, mafia ra e rod located at th e o' osite sideoren V fc'yl 1 fi tiar -a mar-teaser a adssia said a me 'tiniiect eat ea; '"na teeafiraa as ea, a- 0 ay Iostiiibtibfi aaaeiar vacate U f baa are ai sea a) aria aidliaifil apes; area; a cot speraeie fed :iaeat'ea as; aieiu'ei astral sawand cylinders; a ten crank lever having one arm connected to said foot operable rod, means cooperable directly with said transverse rod for constantly urging said transverse rod and said lever in one direction, and means for positively arresting and limiting movement of said lever by said urging means. g

3. In combination with an engine having a plurality of cylinders and a fuel control located adjacent thereto, a hand manipulable rod, a transverse rod associated with said fuel control, a lost motion connection between said rods, a foot manipulable rod, 3. bell crank lever pivotally connected to said foot manipulable rod, a direct chain connection between said lever and said transverse rod, and a spring cooperable directly with and constantly urging said transverse rod in one direction.

4. As an article of manufacture, an accelerator attachment comprising a transverse rod having a lost motion connection at one end, a bracket, a spring directl connecting said rod and said bracket, a liiell crank lever mounted on said bracket, a direct flexsilient connection between said rod and said bracket-,'a lever pivotally associated with said bracket, a direct flexible connection between said lever and said rod, and a foot manipulable rod securedto said lever.

6. As an article of manufacture, an accelerator attachmentcomprising a transverse rod, a lost motion connector associated with said rod, a bracket, a spring directly connecting said rod and said bracket, a bell crank lever pivotally associated with said bracket, a stop for said lever formed integral with said bracket, a connection between said'lever and said rod,and a foot manipulable rod secured to said lever.

7. As an article of manufacture, an accelerator attachment comprising a transverse rod, an element adjustable longitudinally of said rod, a member coactable with said element to move said rod, a bracket, a spring directly connecting said rod and said bracket, a bell crank lever pivotall bracket, a stop for said lever formed integral with said bracket, a connection between said associated with said level-and said rod, and a foot manipulable rod and said bracket, :1 sheet metal bell erank rod securedtosaid lever." Ievei" pivotally secured to said bracket, a- 10 8. As an article of manufacture, tin acchain connecting one arm of said lever with celeratoi' attachment Comprising a "transsaid r0d,and a foot manipulable rod pivot 5 verse rod, an element adjustable longitudially connected to the other arm. of said lever." nallyiof said fed, a member engageeble with In testimony whereof, the signature of the said element to movesaid rod, in sheet metal inventor is affixed hereto.

bracket, a spring directly connecting. said BOBERT'M. HENDERSON. 

